We Never Left the Playground.......Did We?

As an adult we easily recognize how cruel and inconsiderate children can be of each other. As tender hearted as we may think children are, I would say they are exceptionally tough to make it through childhood. I'll go ahead and say that it is likely we all carry emotional scars from childhood that have become a part of who we are today.

Let's look at the targets. There's the fat kid, the stupid kid, the smelly kid and then there's the day that you might happen to be the targeted child for what ever reason. This certainly carries on through high school and into being an adult but at some point we develop compassion and a dislike for treating others without consideration. At least we should. However, do we ever quit making fun of the less fortunate, the freaks, the afflicted, the sinners? Is sin funny? I certainly don't want to think so and my savior absolutely hates sin. Do I as a Christian participate? The fact is our society thinks sin through the actions of a sinner is hilarious. Now some of you are thinking "what in the world is this imbecile talking about?" Let me shuck it down for you.

One of the best entertainment vehicles for humor is without a doubt the television. Looking at a classic, "The Andy Griffith Show", I ask what was funny about that show. Certainly irony and a cast of dimwitted characters, but I want to focus on one character and the reason he was funny to us. Let's consider Otis. He was funny only because he was living in sin as the town drunk. How many television shows, movies, and plays have used this formula for humor through the years? Why is this so funny to us when it should be so sad?

Now I'm going to go somewhere that may anger some folks. Let me start by saying that I respect and love all but my Savior hates sin and therefore as his child I do as well and although I am a sinner I do my best to repent. Let's get back to the next example. In television today you still have the town drunk but there are other sinners that we love to laugh at in television, movies, and various other medias. In particularly, why is homosexuality so funny. How many TV shows today, don't have the token gay guy or gal. How often is "sugar britches" the comedy relief? Yes we love to laugh at these "fruit loops". I laugh at them and I find them to be hilarious. I find humor at their expense because of the sin they live in or simply the product of the sin they live in.

As a Christian, I love them and pray for their salvation. There is really nothing funny about it. Look at who's funny in entertainment. It's still, the fat kid, the dimwit, the drunk and the "sugar britches". We laugh at them at their expense and they, as grown ups, allow themselves to be exploited. No folks, we never left the playground and we never will. We are sinners as well. Praise Jesus for washing our sins away. One day we will have something better to laugh about.